On the Road
by Valeriasg1
Summary: Agents Doggett and Reyes have a clarifying talk on the way back from Democrat Springs that will change the course of their lives and of the xfiles.


ON THE ROAD

Mulder and A.D Skinner carefully helped Scully onto her feet, their arms clenched around her waist to support her weight, and led her out of the house in tiny, short steps.

They needed to take her to the hospital. And fast.

Scully walked out with difficulty, continually catching her breath because of the sharp pain spreading from her sore belly throughout her whole body, the ferocious protest of her already over-solicited nerve endings.  
Dizziness threatened her equilibrium, but the joy of having finally given birth to her so long wanted baby was worth all that she had been through during the previous months.

Agents Doggett and Reyes followed them, the young woman holding protectively a healthy, fussing new born in her arms.  
John stroked the baby's head as his partner lowered him into a small cradle on the back seat of the aircraft, beside Dana.  
They smiled at each other, then Monica slid the door close, resting her fingers on the glass until the pilot started the engine. 

The blades began whirling frantically and the helicopter took off, lifting dry, red soil and small stones in the air, forcing both agents to move back into the house and close the heavy wooden door behind them.

Doggett silently stared at Monica while she went about the messy room collecting and stuffing her things into her blue gym bag, and took it from her hands when she was finally ready to leave.

"We'll be in Woodville in two hours and a half." He informed her as they approached the car.

The night was hot and humid, and thousands of stars shone up high in the dark sky, casting a pale, white light on the soundless scenario and the two still figures lost in contemplation.

Monica sighed tiredly and lifted her gaze up at the gleaming velvety mantle above them. 

"John…do you know how many planets are there out there?"

Doggett patiently stepped next to her partner and took her hand to lead her to the car.

"Monica…let's go, it's late." The young woman didn't move, nor looked like she had heard him at all.

"Thousands of billion…and someone, on these other planets, is looking at this same sky wondering if there are other intelligent life forms in the universe. As I did, until…well, until a few weeks ago." She paused, resisting the urge to grab a cigarette.

"Knowing that there are people…things, out there…planning to colonize Earth…and hurt us…it kind of breaks the spell. Takes away the awe. The wonder."  
Her eyes fell to the ground for a moment and she added a few words in a barely audible whisper.  
"Kills the child within us." She turned her head and offered him a weak smile.

"It doesn't have to be this way. There's no actual proof that what those people said about aliens, or Big Foot, is true."

"You saw what they're able to do. How do you explain that?"

"The government has been experimentin' for decades behind our backs, we don't know what degree of technology they could have reached. Technology we don't know anythin' about."

She opened her mouth to reply but she changed her mind immediately and exhaled instead, releasing part of the tension with the air. Too many unanswered questions and inexplicable facts were swimming around in her head, bugging her, but she was too tired to get in a verbal fight with John right then.

Doggett echoed her sigh and shifted his weight as he waited patiently for his momentary partner.  
Monica was a true believer, stubborn and tenacious; he had known that since he first met her, during their desperate search for Luke.  
Her attitude got on his nerves more often than not, and more than once the words 'delusional' and 'totally nuts' had peeped in in his mind. Definitely too naïve for this job.  
And yet she had proven herself dutiful and smart, perfectly able to loosen the tightest knots just relying on pure instinct.

So, what if he was the blind one? The one who couldn't see, or understand what she did. Or if he just wanted to be blind. Especially after having met Agent Scully and Mulder…they'd been risking their lives to find a truth that might have been only a lie for almost nine years, and now their own son's life was in danger, too.

A little hesitantly, he reached out and ran his hand down Monica's arm, in what she knew was an attempt to comfort her.  
And himself.

"Whatever it was, it's over now." He said softly.

For the first time after so many years she could feel his confusion and insecurity in his touch. See it in his eyes. Sweet, deep blue eyes. They were never icy when he looked at her. Incredulous; glaring; angry sometimes, and not even remotely as affectionate as they were when he looked at Dana.

But never cold like she knew they could be.

She was grateful that he didn't blame her for not finding Luke in time. It would have been too easy a thing to do. But luckily, John Jay Doggett has never taken the easy way out.

"No John." She shook her head, and sighed. "It's not over, and you know it as well as I do. I…I don't know why they didn't try to take the baby, but I'm sure they won't give up like this. Nor will I." She looked up at the moon a last time and they both walked to the car.

John tossed Monica's bag in the truck, then opened the passenger door and Monica slipped into the car, sighing in relief as she settled down on the comfortable seat. She leaned her head against the window, welcoming the feeling of the cool glass against her forehead and of a soft support under her legs.  
She felt sore, tired and still upset from the latest happenings.

"I need my bag." She said evasively before John could start the engine.

"No smoking in my car."

The young woman looked at him then lowered her head to take some candies from the pocket of her leather jacket.

"Want one?" She asked as she unwrapped a strawberry candy and popped it in her mouth.  
He shook his head.  
"You should quit that crap before it kills you."  
"I'm sorry. It's just, I've been really stressed lately, with…well, with everything."

"'T's been one hell of a week for all of us. Try and get some rest."

She didn't need to be told a second time. A comfortable silence fell between them and Monica soon drifted off, lulled by the gentle rocking of the car.

A big truck passed them with a cartoon-like 'ahoogah' from its klaxon, waking Monica instantly.

"You piece of..." Doggett yelled at the driver, his hands fisting around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

Monica rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rolled her head from side to side, working the kinks out of her neck.

"Had a nice nap?" He asked her.

"Not bad." She stretched, moving closer to him to check the time on the digital display. He pulled back a little and made a face.

"Christ Monica, you stink like a corpse."  
She leaned back in her seat.

"It's dry blood."

"You injured?" His eyes turned fleetingly to her, looking for anything out of place.

She didn't answer immediately. She actually had a few burning cuts on her back, but she wasn't going to let him fuss over that.

"Just bruises. This is Dana's blood. From her labor."  
He nodded silently. He still remembered the day when Luke was born like it was just yesterday. And he was there, holding Barbara's hand as his little son came to world. The same world that killed him. He was going to make sure the same thing wasn't going to happen to little William. He wasn't going to fail him.

"Here we are." John pulled over at a turn and into the parking of a motel.

"Already?" Monica pulled off her safety belt and arched her back.  
He smiled. "You've been out for quite a while."  
He got out first and circled the car to open the door for his partner.

"Thank you. Such a chevalier." She smiled and took the arm he was offering. She took her time to zip up her jacket to hide the blood stains on her blouse as he carried their bags inside and followed him in.

The owner, a black fat lady with bushy hair checked them both out with a suspicious glare as John took out his visa card.

"Room for one night?" She asked mechanically. Her eyes fell on his hands, looking for signs of a wedding band on his ring finger.

"Double, twin beds. That ok for you?" Monica stifled a yawn and nodded. "That's it then. Do you serve breakfast?"

"From 7.00a.m to 10.00a.m. Have a good night."

"Do we look that much like clandestine lovers?"

Monica snorted and unlocked the door. "She has to see a lot of adulterous people and hookers around here. Probably doesn't want FBI people nosing around."

It was his turn to laugh as he set her bag on a near-by bed. "Looks like a nice place. Clean at least. Think the FBI will refund me?

"We'll go Dutch on this." She toed off her shoes and shrugged off the jacket.

"It was a big favor you did me, the least I can do is to make you sleep comfortable." He got a toothy smile in reward for that.

"Listen Monica, I…you'd told me you weren't injured."

"What?" She faked ignorance, disregarding the stinging in her back

"Your back. There's fresh blood on your blouse."

"They're just scratches, I'll take care of that in the shower." She grabbed a few items from her bag and made a beeline for the bathroom.

"How did you get them?" 

"A super soldier pushed me and…well…I kinda hit the wall." She shrugged and with that she disappeared.

She emerged from the bathroom long minutes later in black sweatpants and a matching spaghetti-straps top to find John standing by the open window, the gentle night breeze ruffling his usually impeccable hair. 

She took a few steps towards him and inhaled deeply, enjoying the warm, moist scents of summer the wind carried into the room. City lights twinkled in the distance, and only the noise of some solitary car passing by disturbed the incessant chanting of crickets.

A wood tile creaked under her weight and the older man turned to her, head first and then his whole body, resting it against the window-frame. A smile tugged at his lips at her tousled appearance, but his eyes were shadowed by something she couldn't quite define as he took in the two large blackish contusions on her bare shoulder and arm.

"Your back ok?" His tone was low, but echoed in the silent room like a thunder.

"Yeah." His eyes followed her movements as she padded barefoot across the room and glimpsed the cobweb of bright red scratches between her scapulae before she flopped onto one of the beds.

"I'm sorry." Doggett stuffed his hands in his pockets.  
Her interest piqued, she propped her head upon her hand to get a better look at him. That was new.

"For what?"

"You coming to the rescue when I called you, without actually knowing what you were getting into."  
Soft hazelnut eyes traveled up his rugged face, gently probing into his sky blue depths.

"It was dangerous and risky. It wasn't your cause. And you're up to your neck into this shit as much as we are now."

"This is what friends are for, John."

"We hadn't seen each other in years." 

"You needed help and I could give it. And it was important to you, so I came. It's as simple at that."  
No, it's not. He sighed.

"You would have done the same for me." She added, and suddenly her gaze became too much for him to bear. He wasn't so sure about that as she was.

"I don't deserve your friendship."  
She shook her head and smiled affectionately at him, letting her head drop tiredly onto the pillow.

"So I guess I owe you at least a thank you."

She suppressed another big yawn. "Chocolates will do. No peanut butter cups, though."  
It was his turn to smile as she settled more comfortably on the bed, tucking her feet under the comforter.

"Listen, Monica…before you fall asleep on me…" She could see him fidget with some coins in his pocket. "…with Mulder out of the FBI and Scully on maternity leave…I can't carry on the x-files by myself. Especially now that a child's safety is at stake. I was wondering if you would be willing to continue giving me a hand here."

"As in joining the x-files office?"

"That pretty much sums it up. But you might want to get as many miles as you can between you and all this. I couldn't blame you."

"You know I'd love to." She smiled sleepily.

"So.." John left his place by the window and walked up to her bed. "Partners?"

He stretched out his hand. She sat up and took it, surprising him with a vigorous shake. 

"Partners."

They held each other's gaze for a few moments, then John stepped back, slowly releasing her hand.  
"I'm gonna take a shower and let you rest. We still have a long way to go. Goodnite."

"'Night John." She waved and closed her eyes.

Yes, a long way to go. And it was gonna be big.

5


End file.
